Any photos not otherwise credited are from the personal collection of Frank Passic, Albion Historian.

ALBION COLLEGE STUDENT ARMY TRAINING CORPS

Albion Recorder, November 1, 2001, pg. 18

One holiday
we celebrate in November is Veteran’s Day (formerly Armistice Day). When the
United States entered the “War to End All Wars” (World War I) in April, 1917,
Albion’s citizens answered the call to duty and enlisted in droves into the
armed forces to serve their country. The War also affected Albion College,
which saw many of its male students withdraw and join the branch of service of
their choice first, rather than being drafted. Those students who remained were
required to take part in military drills on campus as part of their course
work. The Student Army Training Corps (SATC) was formed in 1917 to prepare
Albion College students (males) for military service. The College worked with
the U.S. War Department which approved a program to: enlist students into the
service, train them for active duty, and identify/train future officers. Four
active military officers: Lieut. John L. Bate, Lieut. D. H. Tilson, Lieut.
Charles E. Staudinger, and Lieut. Sievers were brought in by the War Department
to conduct the military training. Two companies were formed on campus.

Several
Albion College buildings were transformed into an army military base. The
Epworth Physical Laboratory was the headquarters; the Old North Building was
turned into a barracks as was the Sigma Chi house, while the North Hall served
as a business headquarters. The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)
building on E. Erie St. served as the Mess Hall. Robinson Hall was designated
the camp infirmary which saw unexpected use: The deadly Spanish influenza
epidemic struck here in October, 1918. Over a hundred of the two-hundred fifty
SATC members were afflicted and treated at Robinson Hall. Several dozen Albion
town residents died of the virus in the months to come, and Albion schools were
closed for several weeks in early 1919.

Students
were required to take two hours of military training each day, plus a “war
course” class. The first 15 SATC students were shipped to the Central Infantry
Officer’s Training Camp at Rockford, Illinois on November 15, 1918. With the
end of the War occurring that same month however, the SATC members were
discharged in the following weeks and the last man left on December 15. Thus
ended the SATC and military training at Albion College until March, 1943 when
Army Air Force Cadet training began during World War II.

Patriotism
and anticipation ran high, and on Thursday, November 7, 1918, the Albion Recorder announced in big front
page headlines that Germany had quit and an armistice had been signed, based
upon a United Press wire it had received. Albion thought the War was over, and
the word spread fast. Unfortunately, it was only a preliminary surrender
agreement on the battle field that had to be officially approved by both the
U.S. and its Allies, and the German government. The agreement was not signed
until Monday, November 11, the official day the War ended. November 7 has
subsequently been dubbed by historians as “The False Armistice Day.”

Albion saw a huge
“end of the War” celebration beginning at 2 o’clock the afternoon of
November
7, and continuing through late in the night. Factory whistles blew,
sirens
sounded, and the Albion College SATC, armed with their guns and
bayonets, led
an impromptu jubilant parade through downtown Albion. Behind them was
the Post
Band, the Albion College girls, and the citizens of Albion in their
decorated
automobiles, waving decorated flags and banners. The Boy Scouts lit a
huge victory bonfire at the corner of Clinton and Center Sts. that
evening, and a
special celebration service was held at the Methodist Church on E. Erie
St. The next morning as the truth
became known, it was embarrassingly noted that the premature local
celebration
could be considered “a rehearsal” for the real armistice which was soon
to
come.

From the
Archives this week we present a very historical photograph of the Albion
College SATC “False Armistice Day” marchers of November 7, 1918. The scene
shows the west side of the 200 block of Superior St. Notice the Bijou Theatre
on the far left in the Eslow Block, followed by the Singer and Son Furniture
& Undertaking (later the site of George Caines Paint store), then the Afton
A. Dibble Clothiers (present site of Wilking Office Supply). Beneath the
soldier’s feet are the interurban (electric street car) tracks which were in
use here the first two decades of the 20th century.

Our second
photograph features the local soldiers marching on the main campus of Albion
College, with the Epworth building in the distance. Special thanks to Nancy
Held for supplying this week’s photographs.

(top) Albion
College SATC “False Armistice Day” marchers of November 7, 1918(bottom) Local soldiers marching on the main campus of Albion
College

If you've enjoyed learning about Albion history from this site, please write us a note in the Albion
Guestbook.
We hope you will take the time to share your interest and stories related to Albion history,
especially if you have any ancestors from Albion, please let us know.

Albion Design and Carlson Craft have worked together to offer an amazing selection of wedding invitations online. From invites, to rsvps, gifts and more, Carlson Craft has an outstanding 60 year history of creating wedding stationery packages designed to the personal tastes of each bride and groom. With their easy online ordering service and quick turn around, you will appreciate the ease of ordering and the prices also! You can order a sample card of any invitation to see the quality, and proof the wording of the invitations online.
View wedding invitations online: Design.carlsoncraft.com